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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. chip — to eat
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rule — government
  15. last — final
  16. rule — a law
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. last — to go on
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. last — finally
  24. bass — the fish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com